Santa Maria Novella

A church has been on this site since at least the 9th century. Santa Maria Novella was under construction for several hundred years and was consecrated in 1420. The building was an important place in the conflict between Galileo and the Church. Galileo was denounced from the pulpit of Santa Maria Novella on at least two occasions. The first incident was a strong criticism of Galileo by the Dominican Niccolo Lorini in about 1612. The second, most famous incident, was in 1614 by the Dominican Cosimo Caccini, criticizing Galileo’s ideas about the solar system.

The exterior of the church has some scientific instruments attached to the exterior,south facing façade. On the right are several sundials and a support for a quadrant. On the left is a set of two interlaced metal circles (meridians) making an armillary sphere. These instruments were placed on the façade by Dominican Egnatio Danti at the request of of Cosimo I de' Medici.

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Related Websites

Santa Maria Novella: Museum and Cloisters

The Scientific Revolution

The Galileo Project

Firenze.net